


Peculiar Agreement

by vodkaZoomsIn



Category: Naruto
Genre: BoyxBoy, M/M, MalexMale, SasuNaru - Freeform, Yaoi, kakairu - Freeform, kakashixiruka - Freeform, sasukexnaruto - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-07-14 10:52:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7168148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vodkaZoomsIn/pseuds/vodkaZoomsIn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern and Coffee Shop AU<br/>After Iruka sent a customer out, Kakashi appeared and offered help in return for food. The two soon developed a close relationship and everything went perfectly fine.. until 'he' arrived.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Help

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I'm new to this site. Hope you enjoy my KakaIru fanfic.

It is never a crime to delay things. No matter how one ignores time, it will never be a crime. Just that one may suffer procrastination’s consequences. And procrastination is in a man’s nature. Time is never to blame. Naturally, time is generous and it is a friendly reminder for measuring chances and opportunities. But.. If you have a bunch of eccentric people as co-workers, a customer in rage, and a set of unmet orders, then time isn't so kind to remain still and to stop your opportunities from leaving the door. Literally.

Iruka groaned in annoyance as he shut his eyes tightly and pinched the scarred bridge of his nose, a sign of a nearing explosion. His long fingers and palm gripping the wooden spatula painfully as the familiar shouting voice from outside the kitchen reached his ear. He was happily combining everything in a mixing bowl for his chocolate cake before the shouting started. Iruka was getting angry. The commotion was getting a tad frequent. And it was trying his patience. Although being a retired elementary teacher had taught him on controlling every bit of his sanity, the idea of adults complaining against each other in a public place such as his coffee shop was just getting on his last nerve. The noise outside the kitchen door had been too loud to cause some complaints from the other customers and to force the brunette to come out of his lair and to stop his shop from losing his precious customers. As soon as he stepped out, his eyes landed knowingly on the aggressive young teen with spiky brunette hair and inverted red shark-fin-like triangles on each of his cheeks who was standing in a furious stance at the far corner of the shop.

"Kiba, what in the world do you think you're doing?" an anger filled voice asked the said teen. Iruka had made his way to the customer’s table and had gripped the back of Kiba's shirt in order to set him in place as the younger brunette tried to break free. As though a mother in rage, he placed his fist on his hip in a scolding manner which surprised none of the crew members as they took a peek at his anger filled state. 'I shouldn't have assigned him to wait,' Iruka regretted, clenching his jaw. It wasn't because he disliked the kid. No. Kiba was a good child. In fact, he cared for the other workers. He was just.. too aggressive and expressive of anger related emotions. And it just wasn't good for the business. His business to be specific.

"Let me go Iruka-sensei! This man tried to harass Hinata-chan. The poor girl came crying to me!" the overprotective teen exclaimed as he turned his head swiftly to look at his superior, his eyebrows drawn down together in rage.

Iruka frowned, staring down at Kiba who had already stopped his violent movements and was now glaring at the old man in front of them. The revelation had caused Iruka to loosen his grip but not too much to let the younger male go and glared at the old man over Kiba’s head. 

"I always wondered what this jerk wanted. He comes here oftenly but orders nothing except water. It always bugged me why Hinata-chan would ask me to save her shift every time this man was around. No wonder," Kiba sneered at the man sitting in front of him, neither of them looking quite happy.

"Shut your tramp! I was sitting here quietly until you came and forced your stupid story on me!" the hairy old man yelled. 

“You shut up you rotten geezer! ”

As mischievous and dangerous as Kiba looks, he wasn't the type of person to make a nonsense story just to annoy Iruka to the extent of causing him to step out from his kitchen. All of them knew not to mess with him. Especially him. He was scary when he wanted to be. And Iruka himself knew Kiba wouldn't endanger his own life for the sake of a mere amusement. Contemplating the truth, Iruka had finally loosen his grip on Kiba's shirt and looked at Hinata who was shaking miserably and not meeting his eyes. No one could read his expression. He was angry. Even the regular customers had felt the need to leave.

"Hinata-chan..."

There was a moment of silence as the brunette stared at the blue haired girl who was nervously fidgeting with her delicate fingers.

"Sensei....." a tear fell down the timid girl's cheeks as soon as she spoke. In an instance, a blonde girl with aquamarine eyes was standing beside her, hugging her with security and cooing her with pity.

Iruka had never lost his senses. Not even once. Especially in front of his customers. But the crying figure of his former elementary student was enough to make him tremble. "Ino-chan, please take her to the room," Iruka said, nodding his head in permission.

The blonde girl, Ino, obliged and escorted Hinata, the sound of crying faded as they disappeared into the staff room.  
Iruka turned to the accused man and glared dangerously at him.

"Sir, for your safety, I would recommend that you leave this instance before I report you to the police. I will not file a case against you but I will assume that you will not step foot in this coffee shop ever again,” his voice deep and serious. 

Not an emotion was set on Iruka's face. His face was hard and his fists were shaking. Good thing he wasn’t holding anything dangerous because he was seriously nearing his limit. He wanted to hit the old man. Iruka was never a violent man. But when his dear students were involved, he would do anything to teach the evil a lesson. And it was clear to everyone. He was going to knock the geezer down if he wasn’t going to leave this instant.

"I assume that I've made myself clear. You are causing the customers trouble. Now... Please, leave."

Not a moment after, the old geezer left in anger and utter humiliation.

'Today's unfortunate,' Iruka thought as he turned to look back at the staring customers. He put on a smile anyway despite the emotions swirling inside him. "I apologize for the sudden commotion. Please stay calm and.... enjoy."

He slowly made his way behind the counter, arranging nothing in particular. His hands were trembling as the adrenaline continued to pump in his system. He was guilty for being so careless. How could he let some smelly old man touch his beloved former-students? Frustration was building up and was making his head hurt. He had to apologize to Hinata.  
  
He never knew that someone was harassing his employees. He had been too complacent. Now he had to put security cameras all around the shop. A sigh escaped his lips as he put the lid back on top of a mason jar which he opened absent-mindedly. He glanced back at the customers and thankfully, they decided to forget the earlier commotion. Now that he remembered, it was really embarrassing to lose his cool in front of the customers. Quietly, he dismissed himself from their sight and slowly went to the staff room.  
  
As he was walking, time seemed to fly as he reminisced his first meeting with the tiny and shy HInata. She was still hiding behind her father while fidgeting with her white shirt. It was as if she was a preschooler who was seeing strangers for the first time. Unnoticed, he was now standing in front of the staff room door. Ino's comfort was heard behind the door and HInata's soft voice was making Iruka's heart ache. He was utterly guilty. And now was the time to apologize. As soon as he entered, Hinata had already stopped crying, and Ino had bent down as she whispered something to her before patting her leg.

"It's going to be fine. Kiba and I'll walk you home."

"Hinata-Chan?"

The voice caused the ladies to look up at Iruka. Getting the hint from the brunette's crooked smile, Ino decided to give them time and walked out of the room.

"I'm sorry Hinata-Chan. I've been too careless." Iruka had felt the burden ten times heavier as he let out the words.

The blue haired girl smiled genuinely at the sight of her worried former teacher. No matter how Iruka felt, Hinata never blamed him. She understood herself that vulnerability was a huge asset to danger.

"Iruka-sensei, don't apologize. I chose not to tell.... Don't worry. Next time, I will tell you if someone's bothering me." A smile was plastered on her face, something Iruka had missed for years. And it just made Iruka feel heavier than before.

He had missed those smiles after they had left his care. He was alone since then.

"But you didn't tell me about Kiba."

The blue haired girl pouted at the teasing accusation.

"Sensei... He isn't a bother."

The teacher widened his eyes in surprise and tilted his head in wonder. It's funny how the timid Hinata-chan didn't find the boisterous Kiba to be annoying. Even with his patience, Iruka still thought that the dog boy was too hyper for him.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," he chuckled while flapping his hand at Hinata. Again, this brought a smile from her.

While their conversation had taken a little longer, in the entrance of the coffee shop, another person had again caused a commotion among the customers. Similar to the previous trouble maker, the man had set himself at the same table and had only asked for a glass of water. Strange as it is, the only difference was he never once touched the beverage. Although the man was far from looking harmful, the waiters kept a firm guard as the new customer roam his eyes in observance. Eyes were set on him yet he ignored them. Everyone was attentive, not because of the coincidence but because of the strange outfit the new customer was wearing: a sleeveless black turtleneck despite the weather, baggy gray pants, a pair of nice looking sandals and a weird black face mask that hugged and hid his features. Not only was his outfit odd but also his style of covering his other eye with his silver hair. With almost half a year of working in the shop, the teen crew members could clearly remember who was regular and who wasn’t. 

And a proof of the customer's first visit:

'This guy isn't normal,' the staff members thought simultaneously, as though reading each other's minds. It was easy to distinguish who the regular customers were. Description for the regulars in their coffee shop would be: ordinary. Otherwise, it would be a first-timer or a friend of Iruka's. He would always say: 'If they're weird, they're probably friends of mine.' They nodded in unison.

The face covered man raised his hand, gesturing for a waiter to come to him, interrupting the thought of the teen crew members. This time, a young pale guy with round glasses decided to approach him in place of Kiba.

"What would you like to order sir?" The young boy asked, swiftly taking out his pen and paper to write down the incoming order. But instead.....

"Your manager."

The younger male paused from moving, staring down intently at the new and odd customer.

"Excuse me?" The emotions stayed the same.

"I'd like to speak to your manager."

Silence met the silver haired man the moment those words came out of his covered mouth. Wondering, the young lad turned to his coworkers and mouthed the word 'sensei' which struck curiosity among the teen staff members as well. Ino, who got the hint, immediately made her way to the staff room.

"Sensei. A weird guy wants to talk to you," the blonde said, making the brunette pause his amusing conversation with Hinata. This struck his curiosity. 

"Is it Asuma?" he asked, wondering. Nah. Asuma doesn't like to visit during the shop's hours. As much as possible he would visit when there's no one in the shop but Iruka. 

"Nope. It's my first time seeing him." A pair of brown eyebrows rose upon hearing Ino's sudden announcement. Although Iruka was a well-known person, considering his reputation as the kind and patient teacher and as the licensed chef who serves delicious pastries and sweet beverages in town, he didn't have many friends and he never knew anyone too close to him to actually make his shop a rendezvous for conversing with the owner himself. Well, except Asuma. He would go straight to the coffee shop if it weren't for Kurenai. Usually, his other friends would suggest meeting at a different shop, reasoning that he should take a break once in a while. It was funny in a strange way. After all, most of his friends were peculiar. So in short, this person who had called for him is not on his list of acquaintances. Curious about the identity of the visitor, Iruka nodded and excused his conversation with Hinata.

'Who is it?' He wondered. The brunette had no idea who the stranger was. And it suddenly came to him that the kids probably took his reminder about his weird friends way too seriously. In other words, the man waiting wasn't an acquaintance of his. Looking at the stranger's table, Iruka got more curious because of the man's decision to take the seat which faces the wall. After seeing the pale young boy standing on the farthest corner of the shop beside the new customer's table, he made his way to the table and prepared for whoever it was.

"Shino, I'll take it from here," Iruka patted the teen's back, dismissing him from guarding the customer. The young male nodded and made his way to the counter. Iruka glanced at Kiba for a moment and was pleased to see him wearing a relaxed expression.

"Good morning," a voice said grabbing his attention. He looked at the person sitting across him and internally cringe. This guy's making too much attention. He glanced at the customers behind them and had his thoughts confirmed. As funny as it sounds, all the staff members of the coffee shop seemed to have one brain. 'This guy isn't normal.'

"Hello. I'm Hatake Kakashi and I'd like you to hire me as a security guard," his eyes turning into an inverted smile.

'How straightforward!' Iruka noted, his face warping in unbelieving surprise.

"Ano... I'm sorry but... we can't hire anyone right now," Iruka scratched his brunette hair making some strands fall off. "We're full of staff members and adding another one is..."

"You don't need to pay me," the silver haired man cut him off which made caused Iruka to frown at him. "You can cook me meals in return."

Iruka stared at Kakashi like he had grown another head. This guy just came in and volunteered to guard his shop and wanted food in return. 'Is he nuts?' What kind of reason did this man have to have such request?

"It'll be a huge advantage for you. I'm quite a useful person. And considering the customer earlier, you're gonna need someone like me," Kakashi said.

As conceited as he sounded, he had a point. Spending for security cameras would be expensive and with the quantity of his employees, it would be difficult to pay them the exact amount. Though some of the kids insisted that they'd work for free, Iruka just couldn't accept it. He had more pride in him than to accept help and give nothing in return. Since this man had mentioned that he could be useful, it might not hurt to let him work for a while. It would be easier to fire him if he slacks off.

"So?" Kakashi asked while staring at the brunette, looking neither hopeful nor dismayed.

It was hard to make a decision in such a short notice. And Iruka wasn't sure about the stranger in front of him. He could possess malevolent intentions. But... asking a meal as a means of payment? He's probably judging the stranger a little too early.

"I'll accept your offer then," Iruka smiled, causing the silver haired man to pause and to stare intently at the brunette. "But please don't be late. We open at 8 in the morning. If you want to have breakfast, I can cook before the shop opens."

"I'll be early," Kakashi said a little too fast. He sounded a little bit eager than Iruka expected. "Jaa, I'll be leaving." was all he said before standing. He bowed his head before exiting the shop, leaving Iruka surprised and wondering. The brunette followed the mask faced man with his eyes through the clear glass window, watching the silver haired man take a speedy walk across the street. 'That was unexpected,' he thought then sighed. Just earlier, a perverted man came and harasses one of his employees and now a weird man with covered face volunteered to play the guard role. Iruka couldn't help but let out another breathy sigh. 'Another strange person.'

\--------

Having woken up from sleep by a thundering sound of an incoming call is the most unfortunate way to start the day, especially when the call came to be a nonsense one. To have his phone ringing non-stop early in the morning was something that pissed Iruka terribly. Who on earth would be calling him at this hour? Pulling his curtain and glancing at the sky, he groaned unhappily. The stars were still clear and visible and the sky was free from any rays of the incoming sun. Irritated, he grudgingly took his phone from the tiny table beside his bed and answered it without care. ‘This better be important,’ he thought grumpily.

With his eyes closed and the duvet pulled to his neck, he turned to his side as he answered over the other line with a husky unwelcoming voice, “Who’s this?”

“Don’t ‘who’s this?’ me!” a husky female voice yelled.

Iruka’s brown eyes shot open at the voice of the woman on the other line. It has been a month since she last called him. This must be something important.

“Speak!” the woman yelled once again.

“Sorry Tsunade-sama. I was still sleeping when you called,” he sincerely apologized.

“I was calling you non-stop but you never answered! And what?! You’re still asleep at this time of hour? Get up! Stop slacking off!” Typical Tsunade-sama. Still vigorous and energetic as ever. Speaking of energetic, he was immediately reminded of a certain young boy.

Iruka turned and lay on his back and ran his free hand through his silky brunette hair. “Umm.. Why did you call me early in the morning Tsunade-sama?”

“Ah.. Yes! Yes! Naruto’s coming over at your place. He’ll be arriving on Wednesday. He insisted on seeing you and since I’m going to be busy next week, I won’t be able to be with him for a while,” the blonde woman stated, her voice suddenly filled with emotion after saying the last statement. Iruka understood though. Tsunade was a busy woman. And it may not show on her face but she feels bad for not being able to be with her son when he makes time for her.

“Ahh.. . Where is he now, by the way?”

“Okinawa. For a training camp. Sh*t. Hey, listen I gotta go. Stupid documents are piling up,” Tsunade’s voice laced with irritation. He could already imagine her shutting her brown eyes as she leaned her cheek on her fist. Disregarding documents was typical of Tsunade. Even when Iruka was still working as a secretary under her, he never missed the messy desk with piled documents that almost covered the blonde’s face every time he went to check on her. He always had to be the one to read the documents in order to explain the contents briefly to Tsunade. It oftenly wondered Iruka how Tsunade managed to keep the business stable. 

“Ahh.. Okay. Please take care.” 

“Ah!” she grinning victoriously as Iruka would imagine, before ending the line.

Staring at his phone, he placed it back on the table. ‘Now.. how would I get back to sleep again?’ he wondered while pouting at the ceiling. He was going to grow dark bags. And he knew it.


	2. Interest and Intrigue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modern and Coffee Shop AU  
> After Iruka sent a customer out, Kakashi appeared and offered help in return for food. The two soon developed a close relationship and everything went perfectly fine.. until 'he' arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Iruka was right. He knew it the moment his call with Tsunade ended. And the sight of it gave him the creep and irritation. After his early conversation with the blonde, he knew then that dark bags were going to appear below his eyes. Although he had a tan skin, he never expected that the eye bags would remain visible and clear. Iruka pouted as he looked himself on the mirror with a deep frown etched across his face. He had just finished showering and was now checking himself with a grumpy expression while his damped hair kept dripping tiny droplets down his back and chest. The bags below his eyes made him look like he hasn't slept for days. And with the throbbing headache that was beginning to worsen, he physically looked like an insomniac alcoholic with a heavy hangover. A sigh left him as he stared at his appearance once again. Why did Tsunade have to call him early in the morning when birds were still sleeping and bats were still awake? With once last stare, he rubbed his neck with the blue cotton towel that hung around it then proceeded on drying his hair with an expression same as before.  
  
As soon as he was done, he got out the bathroom and headed towards his closet with a white towel that was hugging his toned, slim waist. As simple as Iruka was, so were the contents of his closet. Five white long sleeved polos were hanging there in a row together with his casual clothes. On the bottom right shelf were denim jeans and slacks folded neatly according to category, the upper shelf was divided into two: the right was where the socks were kept and the opposite was where the under garments were placed. Like his typical routine, after wearing his gray boxers and putting on what was necessary, he grabbed a slacks and wore it before putting on the long sleeved polo. He took the comb that sat quietly inside the table drawer beside his bed and proceeded on combing his silky brunette hair. Even though Iruka was a man, his maintained hair was as smooth and shiny as that of a woman’s. He took care of the strands carefully and combed it more than a hundred times after a day of ponytail just like a girl would for her own crowning glory. As much as it pained Iruka, he had to admit after realizing that most of the things he loved to do were the hobbies of a woman. He didn’t care much about it only when his friends mentioned it accompanied by a mouthful of humiliating description. It wasn’t only embarrassing but also annoying.  
  
Iruka shook his head. It wasn’t the time to think about such bad memories. He had work to do. Glancing at the blue clock stuck on the wall above his bed, he tied his hair and checked himself on the mirror one last time before locking his place and going down his house. For safety precautions, his architect had suggested to create an exit stairway for his second floor that led directly outside the house to separate the café from his private home instead of connecting both floors with an interior stairs.  
  
Like any other businesses, it was not uncommon to have your shop established beside or in the first floor of your house. Like other stores, Iruka decided that his should be close to his own home. And what’s closer than to have it on the ground floor? But still, it wasn’t easy having a large house when you’re living alone. When he first bought it after resigning as Tsunade’s secretary, he didn’t know what to do with the large space. After all he had no one to share the house with. It was only during the time when he started working as Naruto’s private tutor when Tsunade told him to build a business to occupy the space. As funny as it sounded, considering a single man who was alone in life, Tsunade was right and Iruka’s café became the town’s favorite. It was a good experience.  
  
A smile made its way to Iruka’s lips as he remembered the memories. It was, indeed, an unforgettable memory.  
  
“What are you smiling for?” a voice asked, making the unaware Iruka to jump in fright.  
  
“Please! Do not scare me like that,” Iruka complained, putting his hand over his chest in a dramatic way as he stared at the man standing in front of him. He was about to ask the identity of the owner of the voice when he suddenly remembered. He hired the guy!  
  
“You’re the one smiling alone,” Kakashi said, the smirk beneath his mask unseen. This caused the brunette to blush in embarrassment. The hired embarrassed the employer! He turned back quite hastily and unlocked the glass entrance door of the café with the key in his hand.  
  
The earlier conversation had made things awkward for Iruka and so he refused to look at the silver-haired man behind him. After entering the shop, Iruka led Kakashi into the kitchen behind the counter. It was only now that Kakashi got a better look of the interior of the shop. The counter was the first thing to be seen upon entering and the tables and chairs were positioned on each side of the center aisle. The setting was typical but the ambience made the café attract customers. It was calm and peaceful. Just like the brunette walking in front of him.  
  
“Please take a seat,” Iruka said after entering the kitchen and pointed to a round, armless spinning chair in front of an L shaped, black tiled mini-counter. “I’ll prepare an omurice so please wait until it’s done.”  
  
“Sure.”  
  
Iruka reached for his black apron on a mini table and wrapped it around his waist. He then began on preparing the necessary ingredients and placed it on the counter. He cracked the eggs into a transparent bowl and began scrambling it with his right hand while the other tossed seasonings. He then began to make fried rice with spices and cheese before putting it on a separate bowl. The whole time Iruka worked his hand, Kakashi stared at him with an unreadable expression. Although the brunette sensed the sharp stare that was directed to him, he remained silent and focused on finishing the food. And as soon as he finished folding the half part of the omelet over the fried rice, he took it out from the pan and served it in a plate with ketchup on top.  
  
“I made two. I haven’t eaten yet,” Iruka said and gave Kakashi his share. He made his way to the coffee maker and poured himself some coffee. He wondered if the masked-face man wanted a mug of coffee and decided to ask him. But.. before he could even turn his head completely, Kakashi had already finished his breakfast, his eyes curving into an inverted smile.  
  
“That was delicious! Thank you for the food!” Kakashi said with satisfaction.  
  
‘What the hell?!’ Iruka mentally shouted, his face warped in disbelief. Where did all the food go?  
  
“What happened to the food?” he asked, dumbfounded. His question caused Kakashi to blink his eyes.  
  
“I ate it,” he answered. Iruka frowned not believing the man. Who could chew an omurice in just a couple of minutes?! If not, a minute more? “Just a really fast eater,” Kakashi added, not convincing the brunette.  
  
Iruka didn’t believe him. No.. He didn’t believe him one bit. Who in their right mind would eat a newly served food, straight from the pan and just consume it without care? Iruka frowned at Kakashi, while the other continued smiling. What was worth smiling for!? The man was too strange! Staring at Kakashi, he once again noticed the weird outfit he was wearing. In fact, it was strange how his clothes yesterday looked the same as what he was currently wearing. The only difference was the color. He was all in black. Even the mask that hugged most of his face was black.  
  
“I guess the mask explains it,” Iruka muttered to himself, loud enough for Kakashi to hear. This caused the silver-haired man to smirk.  
  
“Don’t want the food to get cold,” Kakashi said shrugging. Iruka was still in the state of wondering how but decided to make breakfast his first priority.  
  
While partaking the food he made, Iruka recalled the things he did before turning to ask the taller man for a mug of coffee. He was absolutely certain that it only took him a couple minutes and a half. So how in the world did Kakashi do it?  
  
“Iruka-san, it’s not good to daydream during meals you know,” a voice pulled the brunette out of his thinking state. He looked at Kakashi and frowned again.  
  
“I don’t understand.”  
  
“Like I said, it’s not good to daydream during meals,” Kakashi smirked. This time, it was visible enough for Iruka to see and to blush as he was reprimanded once again by his employee. It was embarrassing in his part. He was the boss for crying out loud! And yet the other man was treating him anything but. He glanced at Kakashi in the left corner of his eyes as the silver haired man rested his cheek on a fist, staring amusingly at the brunette, a smile on his face. With the close distance, Iruka could notice the smile playing on the other man’s lips. For a reason known to him, he was starting to be cautious. The man was a complete stranger and the motive behind his kind and considerate offer was unknown to the brunette. He wasn’t going to judge immediately but it was never bad to be careful. And with the black mask covering Kakashi’s face, Iruka was uncertain of what he was thinking. He was already a close book and covering his face would make him more unpredictable.  
  
Iruka stared down at his plate, the thought remaining.  
  
“Umino-san, how-“ Kakashi started once again but was cut off by a halt of a hand.  
  
“Please call me Iruka. Umino is too formal,” Iruka answered without looking at the masked faced.  
  
“Alright Iruka-san. It’s Kakashi then. Anyway, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”  
  
Iruka could practically hear the smirk of amusement behind the question which made him frown visibly, not caring if Kakashi saw it.  
  
“25. And you?” he asked. He might not be amused like the man beside him but he couldn’t deny that he was curious at least.  
  
“Two years older,” Kakashi answered, his eye still gazing at the other man. As an answer, Iruka nodded his head before standing up and taking his and Kakashi’s plate without meeting his eyes. The random question was a bit awkward for the brunette and he wasn’t about to let Kakashi see his awkward expression.  
  
Iruka made his way to the sink and began to wash the plates. Staring at plates, the long-haired brunette refrained from wondering about his earlier question regarding the sitting man’s speedy intake of food.  
  
“Iruka-san, do you need help?” the deep voice of Kakashi startled the man standing in front of the sink.  
  
Kakashi was being considerate again and it only made Iruka more careful than he ought to be. “No I’m fine,” he said as he glanced at the wall clock on his right just above the mini window-like opening in the wall that connected the counter and the kitchen. “You can go change in the locker room. I prepared something for you to wear. Then you can go check if the dining area looks presentable. We’ll be opening in a half.”  
  
Without any word, the masked-face man stood up and exited the room, leaving the other man alone in the kitchen. This left Iruka glad as peace took over him. Now he was calm and peaceful.  
  
While Iruka was drowned in tranquility, Kakashi was already inside the locker room and was already staring at the white long-sleeved polo that was hanged between the large brown closet and the green curtain beside the silver-colored lockers. His dark eye roamed at the room, quietly observing the arrangement and the colors of the furniture before deciding to change.  
  
As soon as he finished, he went to the dining area and roamed his eyes in observance for anything out of the ordinary. When he found everything neatly in place, he went back to the kitchen to find Iruka wiping the counter.  
  
“Oh, you’re done?” Iruka looked up with raised eyebrows. “Shino will be here any moment now and so will the others. I’ll be introducing you to the kids so just feel free to sit there.”  
  
Shino?  
  
‘Oh, the pale kid with round glasses,’ Kakashi recalled. The kid was the one who waited him yesterday.  
  
Just when Kakashi remembered, the said teen appeared right in front of the door with a presence already known to him.  
  
“Ohayo gozaimasu sensei,” a deep, matured voice spoke from the door, making the retired teacher look up. Though the young man greeted him, his eyes were trained on the familiar strange silver-haired man who had his right hand inserted in his pocket.  
  
“Oh, Shino! Ohayo,” Iruka greeted back with a gleaming smile on his face. He wiped his already clean hands on his apron and approached the teenager.  
  
“Shino, I believe you’ve met Hatake Kakashi-san,” Iruka started, earning a nod from the young man. “Well, I’ve hired him as a security guard. After yesterday’s commotion, I couldn’t let any danger step inside the shop anymore. He’s obviously a lot older so show your respect. ”  
  
Shino nodded in obedience and bowed his head politely before introducing himself. “Ohayo gozaimasu Hatake-san. I am Aburame Shino.”  
  
Kakashi gave a nod before speaking. “Kakashi-san’s fine. And good morning too.”  
  
After the short introduction between closed books, Iruka dismissed the young man and told him to water the plants in front of the shop. As soon as Shino obliged, another entered the kitchen to greet the boss.  
  
“Good morning Iruka-sensei!” a girl unfamiliar to Kakashi, greeted. Looking at the young girl’s face, confirmation dawned on the older man. She certainly wasn’t in the shop yesterday. Perhaps a shift? Finally staring, Kakashi noticed the young lady’s brunette hair tied into couple of buns, one on each side. Eyes staring back at him were big and brown and her lashes were long and pretty.  
  
“Hey Tenten!” Iruka spoke from behind the counter while he was busy cleaning the glasses. “This is Hatake Kakashi-san. I’ve hired him as a security guard. I guess you’ve heard what happened yesterday. So that’s why he’s here. Kakashi-san is a lot older than you guys so please show him respect.”  
  
“Good morning Kakashi-san. I’m Tenten,” the young lady greeted with a bow before dismissing herself.  
  
Soon, the others finally showed up and a repetition of introduction was done every time each employee came to greet their employer. And through all the introductions, Kakashi was never startled that the crew members were all younger than him. A lot younger to be specific. He just hoped that they wouldn’t be whiny brats.  
  
\------

Kakashi yawned as he tediously stared at the boring, uninteresting customers who he opened the glass door for. Was there no one in this shop who could keep him busy? The customers were too talkative, despite their number, and it wasn’t like their topic was informational. His eye roamed the shop and found not even a single soul that screamed ‘interest’. He sighed regrettably but immediately fell silent as he unintentionally saw the brunette whipping and sautéing through the mini-window opening on the wall of the counter. Strange enough, he found staring at the guy rather amusing. Iruka was like a furry ball of plain.. oh what’s the word? Dorkiness? Yeah, that was it. It was funny but that’s what the brunette was displaying. Kakashi found him rather intriguing. And Interest and Intrigue always entertained him. He continued to watch Iruka in silence as the man passed a couple plate of carbonara pasta through the mini-opening. He kept his eyes staring even when the girl, Tenten, took the plates and placed it on a tray after thanking their sensei. Right then, the word ‘sensei’ stirred a huge amount of curiosity in the silver-haired man. He wondered. The kids called Iruka ‘sensei’. Why would they be calling him that unless he was once a teacher? And perhaps once in his life, Iruka had handled them before.  
  
Kakashi smirked to himself. Iruka was like an open book. It was pretty easy to know him, to see through him. And it was getting more entertaining. For hours, Kakashi kept his stare open as he observed every move the brunette made. Well, at least what was seen through the mini-opening. He was determined and concentrated that he almost missed the time until Shino walked up to him.  
  
“Kakashi-san, Iruka-sensei told me to get you. I’ve eaten lunch already so I’ll be substituting you for the moment,” the pale young man informed in monotone.  
  
Kakashi nodded his answer and proceeded to the kitchen. ‘Finally,’ he thought. His stomach was growling terribly and the only entertainment that made the hunger bearable was the sight of Iruka. Excited for what the menu was, he hastily entered without care. Even the sight of two young girls with brown and pink hair was the least he cared about.  
  
“Ah.. Kakashi-san. Please take a seat,” the brunette behind the counter smiled.  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
Walking to the spinning chair, he took a seat beside the pink haired girl who was looking up at him with utter curiosity. What was her name again? Kakashi seemed to have forgotten until his eyes landed on the strands of hair that seemed as pink as the cherry blossom petals.  
  
Sakura. Haruno Sakura.  
  
“Kakashi-san. What’s the mask for?” Sakura asked in time for Iruka to serve Kakashi’s meal. Kakashi muttered a ‘Thank you’ and glanced at the chef who had an amused smile on his face before looking back at the girl beside him.  
  
“Nothing. I like hiding my face,” Kakashi said as a matter of fact. “Itadakimasu.”  
  
“Oh.. So you’re supposed to be handsome right?” the girl asked once again, a smile on her hopeful face.  
  
“Nope,” the silver-haired man answered after chewing the roasted meat served on his plate.  
  
“Aww,” she pouted then returned back on eating her food.  
  
As Iruka watched their amusing conversation, he couldn’t help the curiosity to build up. What kind of face did Kakashi have behind that mask of his? He probably isn’t ugly. He wasn’t sure. After all, all he could see was the raven colored right eye. That bored raven eye that was looking directly at him.  
  
Realizing this, he blinked a couple of times before averting his eyes to his plate. ‘There he goes again,’ he thought. He was getting quite uneasy being stared at by Kakashi. He just hoped that the masked-face man would quit it as he went back on eating his meal.  
  
After the noisy meal Kakashi had, he returned to his position, that’d be guarding the door and watching the customers. He swore his ears were going to explode with Sakura’s constant talking. The kid was annoying! Always squealing about this cool kid at school. It took almost every bit of Kakashi’s sanity to stop himself from slapping a hand over the girl’s mouth and seal it with a duct tape.  
  
With a tired groan, he disregarded the earlier conversation and tried focusing on the ordinary customers who were frowning at him with confusion. And he knew why. He just didn’t care. The mask was a part of his day. And it wasn’t their business to meddle with what he wore.  
  
As time flies by, Kakashi miraculously made it through the day. With the uninteresting customers, he was ready to leave if it weren’t for Iruka’s cooking. He sighed tiringly, helping the kids clean the shop.  
  
They had just closed the shop after the sky began to change a mixture of color pink, orange, and blue.  
  
“We’re done for the day!” Iruka announced. “You guys can change now. But come to the kitchen before you leave.”  
  
They all proceeded to their respective locker rooms and did what they were told to do. While the girls changed excitedly in their locker room, Shino and Kakashi silently did the same. With two unreadable persons in the same room, silence was strongly present… until Kakashi decided to interrupt it.  
  
“Shino right?” the said teen nodded after a while of staring at the older man. “Shino, how long have you been working here?”  
  
This caused the younger male to look up at Kakashi who had a smirk on. Even with the mask, Shino could tell the interest behind it. But.. even though he figured that one right, he couldn’t quite read the silver-haired man’s intention. Unlike the people around him, Kakashi was far different. And unpredictable. Shino couldn’t even guess the reason behind this man’s ideas. Yesterday’s offer of guarding the shop was nowhere near predictable. And no one in their right mind would ask the employer straightforwardly to hire him in front of customers.  
  
“Almost 4 months,” Shino answered. “And you? What’s your reason?” he added.  
  
Kakashi understood what the question meant. And he was getting interested in the kid.  
  
“Nothing. Why do you ask?” He asked, his eye making that inverted smile again.  
  
“Nothing.”  
  
A smirk once again. The kid was interesting. And Kakashi was getting amused.  
  
The younger one exited the room and headed to the kitchen together with the other girls.  
  
“Here kids. Some cakes were left so I wrapped it up for you,” Iruka smiled. It only got bigger when the kids gladly received it.  
  
After bidding goodbye to their former teacher, the young ones left the shop, leaving only the older men.  
  
“Iruka-san, do you like sweets?” Kakashi began.  
  
Tilting his head up and instinctively bringing his fist up to his chin, Iruka let his mind respond to the question.  
  
“Yes I guess? It depends on the level of sweetness I think. If it’s too sweet, I’d dislike it a lot,” Iruka answered, smiling down at Kakashi.  
  
This caused Kakashi to chuckle, much to Iruka’s surprise.  
  
“I don’t’ hate sweets but I don’t eat it,” Kakashi answered. “Even my nephew hates it.”  
  
Upon hearing this, Iruka turned his head in curiosity.  
  
“Oh.. You have a nephew?” he asked, suddenly curious.  
  
“Yeah. Two actually. Stubborn kids,” Kakashi snickered, recalling his hard headed nephews.  
  
“That’s a nice diversion once in a while,” Iruka smiled as he took a mug off the counter and wiped it. Watching him, Kakashi absent-mindedly took one and wiped it as well.  
  
“Yeah. Sometimes,” Kakashi sighed.  
  
Their conversation naturally ran its course, changing topics from nephews to hobbies. Although Iruka was still cautious about the man in front of him, he decided that having a long talk wasn’t bad after all. And the dinner they both had was an opportunity to know each other. He certainly was wrong about starting to think of bad things about Kakashi. And probably.. just probably, Kakashi was actually a nice person to offer help. At least he finally felt a tad comfortable compared to before.


	3. An Unexpected Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modern and Coffee Shop AU  
> After Iruka sent a customer out, Kakashi appeared and offered help in return for food. The two soon developed a close relationship and everything went perfectly fine.. until 'he' arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy Chapter 3..

Having an early call was the one thing that pissed Iruka most. He disliked receiving insistent calls. It was perturbing and tiring at the same time. If only he could scream at the caller. But still.. he knew for himself that he wasn’t that type of man. He preferred to keep his anger mildly displayed unless, of course, if it was necessary to show it shamelessly. He could’ve yelled at the person on the other line. But when he heard that jovial voice calling him ‘sensei’, his anger deflated instantly as he remembered the blonde boy he always loved.

“Naruto?” Iruka smiled tiringly. He almost forgot what his former boss told him.

“Iruka-sensei! Did mom tell you already?” the boy asked happily. Iruka could hear the excitement oozing from the young boy. He wondered if the boy ever minimized the volume of his voice. But then Iruka remembered. A boisterous Naruto was much better than a quiet one. 

“Uh-huh. She called me yesterday,” Iruka answered, covering his head with the blanket, the phone beside his ear under the cloth. “Early in the morning to be exact,” he added.

“Sorry sensei,” the young man apologized yet Iruka could hear the hint of giggles Naruto released. “I can’t wait to see you sensei! There are a lot of things I want to tell you.”

He smiled. After Tsunade’s not so obvious confession about not having time for her son, Iruka was still glad that Naruto understood and didn’t force it on his mom. Iruka always made the young boy understand his mom’s work even though he could be quite dense and naïve at times. But still.. it was that naïve attitude that drew Iruka closer to the boy. It was tiring yet charming at the same time. 

“I know. So hurry up okay? And please refrain from calling me early in the morning okay? Sensei isn’t so young anymore,” he reminded. When he was still young, it was easy going through the day without enough sleep. Now that he was older, finishing tasks were a bit harder when tired. 

“Ah! Get more sleep okay sensei?” Naruto reminded.

'Well.. Now I can’t,' he thought.

Iruka just had to forgive him once again. He couldn’t stay angry at the blonde boy after all. 

“Oh.. And drink more coffee. It helps you sleep easily,” Naruto encouraged.

Face palm. Iruka mentally sighed. Sometimes he wondered where Naruto learned the stuffs he mindlessly say.

“Naruto.. Coffee contains caffeine. It won’t help me sleep,” the brunette corrected while he ruffled his untied silky hair. He could already imagine the young boy tilting his head to the side in wonder.

“Is that so? Well then.. umm… drink something without caffeine!” the young boy laughed. “Sensei, I’ll hang up now okay? I’m in the train and some lady is looking at me.”

This caused Iruka to widen his eyes. He could already see the other passengers glaring at Naruto for his reckless noise. Naruto and Tsunade were so much alike. He sighed, this time audible. Sometimes Naruto could be really noisy. He just wished that the kid would lessen the volume of his voice.

“Okay. Don’t make any other noises okay?” Iruka requested, almost sounding like begging the kid not to make another sound. He didn’t want Naruto to be in trouble. 

Thankfully, Naruto didn’t ask why and bid a temporary farewell before hanging up. After the call ended, a sigh came out of Iruka, not in frustration but in tiredness. Another round of eye bags.

*

Like the other morning, Kakashi was again earlier than expected. Naturally, he would let the others wait for him for a whole hour. But this was surely a bit different. He wondered if he was a bit eager than he wanted to be but decided to ignore the thought as he noticed a humming sound from afar. A smirk appeared on his covered lips as he prepared for Iruka’s appearance. Once again, he startled the brunette who was vulnerably making a right turn to the entrance of the shop. Only this time, it wasn't because of Iruka's goofy smile but because of his focused attention on the navy blue colored cellphone in his hand. Iruka was too distracted that he didn't notice the presence in front of him until the other man decided to call him with a deep voice. The sound had terrifyingly surprised the brunette and caused him to jump, almost dropping his phone.

"Who's there?" the brunette gasped and turned his head hastily looking for suspicious people but then sighed as soon as he noticed the masked face man who was leaning his shoulder on the glass door with his right hand inserted in his side pocket while amusement shone in his eye. This caused Iruka to narrow his eyes at the man in front of him.

"Would you please stop scaring me? You did the same yesterday," Iruka said rather harshly. If there was anything the brunette hated the most, it was being startled. He wasn't angry at Kakashi though. He was plainly irritated at the earlier attack. He just hoped that the other man would stop frightening him every time he was defenseless.

Surprisingly, the silver haired man released an amused chuckle, his eye shut visibly as he recalled the younger man's reaction.

"What's so funny?" Iruka frowned, a pout unintentionally appearing. 

"Nothing. You just looked cute when you anxiously searched for me," Kakashi answered, a smirk forming behind his ever present black mask.

In a harsh approach, a blush appeared on the tan man's cheeks after the words flew out of Kakashi's covered mouth. Iruka was again cautious. Only this time, his caution was accompanied by a sudden nervousness. He was absolutely clueless about the other man's intentions. He didn't know if Kakashi was actually fond of him or if he was internally making fun of the brunette. Either of the two, the discomfort in Iruka's stomach was already beginning to increase, probably a tad more than before.

"Should we get inside?" Kakashi suggested after recovering from his unusual chuckle.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Iruka slid in his key and unlocked the glass door then hanged it back to his belt strap after Kakashi entered. As agreed, both proceeded to the kitchen for a hot breakfast, Kakashi immediately sitting on the spinning chair in wait for the food to be served.

"Is American breakfast fine?" Iruka asked while tying the apron on his back. His eyes were set curiously on the man sitting in front of him. He was planning on making a pancake, bacon and egg trio. But if the other taller guy preferred something else, he was going to have to discard his earlier idea. After all, his shop's security was the one at stake.

"Yeah. It's going to be a first but I'll be looking forward," Kakashi answered and earned a nod in return. Kakashi was currently resting his folded arms on the counter, discreetly preparing for the sight of a cute Iruka cooking his oh-so delicio-

Cute?

Woah, wait. Did the mighty and handsome Hatake Kakashi just call Iruka, a man, cute?

Kakashi frowned visibly. Something was wrong with him. Probably the deprivation of breakfast. In an instant, he was back to his cool self, not putting much attention to the earlier thought and going back on watching the man in front of him.

While Iruka worked his hands, Kakashi decided to start a light and comfortable conversation in order to ease the obvious tension on the other man's shoulder. And he didn't need to know why. He knew perfectly.

"Iruka-san, do you love dogs?"

Iruka blinked his brown eyes and tilted his head after he paused his hand and waited for the other side of the pancake to rise.

"I guess? It isn't annoying.. but it is a bit clingy at times," Iruka smiled as he flipped the pancake. Glancing at the man sitting , he smiled once again. "You? Do you like them?"

Watching Iruka put a pancake to a plate, he answered without hesitance, "I like them."

This caused a wide eyed Iruka to chuckle as he listened to Kakashi's hasty reply. The obviousness was undoubtedly clear.

"Why? What's wrong?" The silver haired man surprisingly had his eye wide in complete wonder. It was probably the first for the brunette.

"Nothing. I just thought that it was quite amusing to hear you praise your dog," Iruka chuckled.

"I don't have one," Kakashi answered with a shrug.

Frowning, Iruka stopped his chuckling and blinked after realizing his miscalculation. Kakashi was just probably fond of dogs. But it didn't mean that he owned one. Thinking, he poured oil onto the pan before tossing in the bacons. "How about you buy one?"

Kakashi blinked at the brunette and shrugged once again. "I don't know. Probably soon."

"Good."

Iruka passed a plate of American breakfast in front of Kakashi before taking off his apron. Like what he usually partnered breakfast with, Iruka poured himself a hot coffee, completely forgetting yesterday morning's event. As soon as he turned, Kakashi had miraculously finished his meal and Iruka once again fell clueless as he stared at the man in front of him.

"Okay. Now stop joking," Iruka frowned deeply. He didn’t want to think about such thing but he couldn’t avoid the thought to develop in his mind. Kakashi was probably making fun of him!

"Where's the food?"

Another smirk made its way on Kakashi's lips. He was going to have fun watching Iruka's unbelieving expression.

"I ate it. Seriously."

Much to Kakashi's pleasure, the brunette made a frown as he blinked his brown eyes in utter disbelief. Seeing Iruka trying to speak out, Kakashi made the first move to divert the other man's attention. Iruka was neither irritating nor annoying. He just thought that the usual questions would make the brunette curious about why he wouldn’t take off the mask. He had his own reasons. 

"Iruka-san, drinking coffee everyday isn't good for the health you know."

But Iruka could care less. Not about how coffee could kill him but about Kakashi's obvious attempt on distracting him. And it wasn't working. No. Iruka wasn't dense to disregard such an important matter. The fact that the food had miraculously disappeared was disturbing for him. Although he thought that it was probably because Kakashi didn’t want to expose himself, he was beginning to think that his food was being thrown away. It was disrespectful and maddening. 

“Kakashi-san, I do not like my food to go to waste. So if you want to throw it away, just tell me and I’ll- ”

He was interrupted by a halt of a hand.

“Iruka-san, I am not being impolite and I tell you honestly that I really did eat the food,” Kakashi was getting serious and Iruka saw it. 

‘Good. That makes two of us now,’ the brunette thought as he frowned at the man standing in front of him. It was almost like he was sending daggers towards Kakashi.  
Kakashi continued, not giving the owner a chance to speak. “I eat faster around people.” Kakashi didn’t know why but he was telling some things that weren’t supposed to be known by others. And he knew why. The man frowning at him was making him say stuffs he shouldn’t. No.. It wasn’t like that. “That’s just how I eat around people,” he added, pointing to his mask.

Iruka was now confused. Sure it wasn’t his business but he just wished that Kakashi would at least ask him to turn back, not make him think his food was being thrown away. Relaxing his shoulders and sighing, the brunette closed his eyes and nodded. He didn’t know what to say. He was confused and in disbelief. He did remember that a meal was what Kakashi requested in return for guarding his shop but it was just unreal. And he was just starting to realize that Kakashi was in a whole different level of peculiarity. He sighed once again before Kakashi excused himself.

Leaving the kitchen with its chef inside, Kakashi quietly pondered regarding his earlier thought. There was something in Iruka that made him say things out of the ordinary. But he did know that Iruka was the only person he wanted to explain himself to. He just didn’t know why. In an instant, Kakashi understood a simple solution. It was because of the brunette’s skilled cooking. He knew it wasn’t entirely true but at least he could stop the thought for a moment. Naturally, Kakashi was born with reasonable solutions. But temporarily, he was willing to play behind a shield. 

The silver haired man entered the locker room and began to change. He wore his slacks, the cloth slightly loose around his thighs, before he buttoned up the polo and folded the sleeve up to his forearm. Just when he was about to finish, a young brunette entered the room.

“Eh? So you’re the person sensei was talking about?” the boy, quite familiar to Kakashi, said. He was one of the young waiters who was wearing an angry expression even before  
Kakashi visited the shop. He believed the young boy was the one who told Iruka about the perverted old man the other day.

“Weren’t you that guy who visited the shop after that jerk old geezer left?” the kid asked frowning at the older man, his fang peeking with obviousness below his upper lip. 

‘Yep. He’s the guy.’

“Hello, you can call me Kakashi-san,” Kakashi introduced, making an inverted smile with his visible eye and putting enough enthusiasm in his voice. 

“I’m Kiba. Inuzuka Kiba,” the young man replied, watching Kakashi with caution. 

This brought a smirk on Kakashi’s lips. Everyone in the shop is really interesting. He could play with them any time he wanted. He mentally chuckled.

“Let’s work ne?”

He exited the room while Kiba followed him with his sharp black eyes. Kiba was cautious for something he didn’t know. But whatever it was that was bugging him, he knew not to be careless. 

* 

While Tenten and Sakura prepared the interior part of the shop, Kiba took out the menu board and displayed it in front of the shop, the specialty for the day written in fancy cursive. As soon as he finished, he silently watched Ino water the plants with a hum vibrating her throat. The blonde girl was too engrossed in her task that she finally just noticed the other’s presence. All of a sudden, Ino decided to stop.

“How’s Akamaru doing? I heard he was sick,” Ino asked the brunette young boy without sparing a glance at the boisterous young boy. She stared down at the daisy on her palm; it was resting heavily after its short bath.

Kiba blinked in surprise at the question, not expecting the blonde to care.

“I didn’t know you cared,” Kiba replied, not intending to offend the young girl.

Ino faced him with a hand on her hip, her eyes half-lidded with annoyance. “You’re a jerk, you know that?”

Kiba raised his eyebrows in realization. He didn’t want to offend the girl yet it came out the opposite. “What?”

A frown etched Ino’s face. “Just get inside will you?” She turned back to watering the dry part of the tulip bed, careful not to shower too much water. After she finished feeding the plants, she went back inside the café and helped arranging the chairs. 

“What’s today’s special?” Sakura asked out of the blue catching the other’s attention.

Kiba, who was checking out his phone, spoke without looking up, “I guess it was lasagna.”

The three of the girls stared at each other knowingly. When it came to pastas, their Iruka-sensei was like a real Italian chef. Eating his special food felt like eating the authentic one. It wasn’t just Italian. He knew French cuisine as well, a lot to be exact. 

“Guys, it’s almost time,” Kiba announced as he headed back to the locker room.

After hearing the brunette’s short reminder, Ino went and flipped the close sign.

“Okay! Let’s get to work!” She announced.

  


\-----------------------

  


It was absolutely tedious.

Morning or afternoon, nothing changed.

Kakashi was bored. 

Opening the glass door for ordinary, unentertaining customers were the worst for the silver haired man. The people were absolutely loquacious and sparing them a single glance was already a waste of time for Kakashi. The only thing that kept him at bay was the cooking figure of Iruka whom he always watched through the mini opening. Time seemed to fly faster than expected and Kakashi miraculously survived four days. Today was his fifth and like the usual, he was met with boring, plain people. He would’ve stared at the young schoolgirls and office ladies with short skirts and big breasts if it weren’t for their big gabbling mouths. He could even hear their conversations. Some were gossiping about a weird classmate and some were chatting about this hot guy at work. All of them were nonsense.

“Konichiwa,” he forcefully greeted a young woman and stopped his urges to yawn in boredom. Looking back through the mini opening, Kakashi surprisingly sighed in relief as he watched Iruka scrutinized the measuring cup filled with milk in his hand. With some unknown reason, the silver haired man felt satisfaction in observing and watching the brunette. Iruka was pretty foreseeable, Kakashi knew. But the long haired man carried something definitely interesting. Kakashi didn’t know quite well but he was going to find out. And he was determined to discover what it was. 

Watching the others, a smirk crept up to his face as he spared a look at the younger crew members. Ino was currently taking a customer's order while the pink haired, Sakura, was carrying a tray of shortcake, lasagna and a few glass of iced Americanos. Meanwhile, Hinata was in the kitchen, helping out Iruka. And just like that, his attention was back to the brunette.

Recalling his earlier thought, he wondered. What was in Iruka that was so hard to ignore? No matter what he did, he felt a strange pull to the long haired man. He knew Iruka was great and he appreciated his skills. But why was it so easy to explain himself to Iruka? 

Without Kakashi’s notice, since he was busy staring at the chef, a sandy blonde haired girl who had teal eyes and was wearing purple earphones pushed the glass door effortlessly, causing him to take a step forward in surprise. Turning to look at the customer, Kakashi’s visible eye widened while the girl reflected his expression.

“Kaka-” the girl was interrupted by a hand over her mouth. She glared at the man and instinctively placed a hand on her hip.

Moving only his eye to look at the waiters and customers, Kakashi dragged the girl stealthily out the shop and into a nearby alley. The alley was free of trash, not a rotten smell was present. He let go of the girl with gentleness then faced her. 

“Kakashi-san. What were you doing there standing at the entrance of the shop looking like a guard?” The girl asked, narrowing her sharp teal eyes. “And that’s weird,” she pointed to Kakashi’s polo.

“What are you doing visiting the shop?” Kakashi asked his voice free from any panic or worry. ‘Okay.. That was a stupid question,’ he thought.

This made the blonde girl fold her arms over her chest, her weight resting mostly on her right leg. “Kakashi-san, I visit that shop at least once a month. I’m hardly a regular there but the crew definitely remembers me.”

Kakashi barely felt panic; In fact, it was extremely rare. But for a moment, a small amount of anxiousness surged through him. 

“Anyway, shouldn’t you be at-” she was interrupted once again by a finger Kakashi placed over his covered lips. The girl raised an eyebrow in a somewhat impatient gesture.

“Temari, I would like you to stop visiting the shop for a while,” Kakashi said, inserting a hand inside his side pocket. His eye stared down at the younger lady firmly.

Narrowed eyes were directed towards the older man as she shifted her folded arms and placed a hand to her hip. “I don’t know what you’re planning but please refrain from  
causing the shop any trouble.”

“I won’t. So for now, just don’t come,” the silver haired man requested. 

Sighing, the girl nodded and immediately walked past the older man and out the alley, turning to the opposite direction of the shop.

Kakashi released a sigh of relief. He went back to the shop as if nothing happened. He had to be quiet, stealthy. He was nearly thankful.. until he saw Shino, who was standing behind the counter, staring at him with a blank expression. He stared back. The kid was undoubtedly interesting. He was observant, less chatty, and he knew when something’s out of the ordinary. Kakashi was fond of his kind. And he couldn’t wait to test the kid. Smirking, he sent a smile at the pale young boy, his eyes forming to an inverted smile. Opening his eyes, he saw Shino avert his attention to Tenten.

Another smirk.

Shino was cautious. And it only interested Kakashi more.


	4. Mysteries of a Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updated after a whole month. This is a bit shorter than usual so I hope you still enjoy this.  
> So.. Enjoy! :)

It was Sunday. And Iruka couldn’t be any more thankful. After a week of exhaustion from his daily routine of serving his precious customers, he could finally stay lazily in bed with no worries. Today was his rest day and he was greatly pleased that he didn’t need to work his ass off early in the morning. Even though he was awake now, he made no move of leaving the bed and kept perfectly still as he listened to the relaxing silence surrounding him. He was also thankful that her former boss and her son decided to give him a break from their excitement and ranting. Speaking of the son, a smile made its way to the brunette’s face as he remembered Naruto’s extreme joy about finally meeting him once again. Iruka always loved the young boy and all he wanted was to always hear the cheerfulness behind his voice even though sometimes he was mistaking excitement for noisiness. Still, Iruka loved him. And he knew that no matter what, nothing would change his love for the kid. With the soothing thought of the young blonde boy in his mind, he happily swung his legs on the edge of the bed, standing immediately to head to the shower. Peeling of his clothes off, he sneaked inside the bathroom and set up the bathtub. As soon as the water was perfectly warm, he stepped into the water-filled container utterly naked and sighed as the water touched his tan skin. 

“Ah. So good,” he moaned in pleasure, his eyes closed in delight. He began on scrubbing his skin in slow motion, not caring about the seconds wasted after every scrub. For once, Iruka gave no consideration on saving time. It was his rest day after all. He was free to do whatever he wanted and nothing could stop him. 

Spending his time in the bathroom was like heaven for Iruka. The cleanliness in him was proactive and the evidences were the red marks caused by immense scrubbing on his skin. A hum vibrated in the brunette’s throat as he wrapped a blue towel around his neck while he walked his way towards his closet wearing nothing but black boxers. Grabbing a black shorts and a plain white tee, he carelessly inserted his arms through the sleeves, slid in his shorts and grabbed his phone before exiting his bedroom. Directly three and a half meters outside of his room was a large kitchen with a semi-circle black tiled counter, its curved end attached to the wall and the other facing the door of his bedroom. Like the kitchen in his café, a couple of spinning chairs were also in front of the counter. The kitchen area had a stove, a cupboard and a refrigerator at the back end of the wall. Glancing at his phone and noticing the sharp eight o’clock time, Iruka shrugged and lethargically headed to the kitchen to turn on his coffee maker. He then poured himself a mug and soon proceeded to the living room with a plate of American breakfast. Turning on the television, he seated himself on the couch and eventually munched his breakfast. 

This was what Iruka’s life was when there was no work: Just sitting down the sofa while watching the news and weather report. Sometimes he would turn on the DVD player and put on some RomCom or a Drama if he felt a little emotional. This was his life. It may be boring for the others, but this was what kept him happy for the whole day.

Suddenly, a call interrupted Iruka’s focus on the television. He picked up his phone from the coffee table and answered a call from an unknown number. It was not registered in his contact but he answered it regardless. Sometimes he wondered how stupid he could get.

“Hello?” he asked. He sipped his coffee carefully, waiting for the caller to answer. Unexpectedly, the caller hanged up, leaving Iruka to wonder aimlessly. He was feeling an uneasiness settling on the pit of his stomach. Who would know his number other than his friends and former students? He started to suspect the silver-haired man but he probably wasn’t the type to go through someone else’s phone. Nervousness hit Iruka as he stared down at his phone. 

A knock on the door startled the brunette and caused him to spill droplets of the brown substance onto the couch. Staring at the door, he gulped anxiously before finally making a move towards it. Taking a deep nervous breath, he slowly held the door knob and made a small opening before peeking at the person behind the other side. Rather than fear, he felt surprise as he discovered the man standing in front of the door. Kakashi was there smiling along with his eyes. 

“Good morning Iruka-san,” the silver haired man greeted gladly, his right hand raised on face level.

Blink.

Iruka finally opened the door entirely before tilting his head to the side in a cute manner while he continued to blink in confusion. The unintended act of the brunette had made Kakashi gulp. Why was Iruka wearing a very big t-shirt with black shorts and looking so clueless in front of him? He looked like a lost sheep he swore. 

“Why are you here Kakashi-san? There’s no work today,” Iruka blinked as a frown invaded his handsome features.

Thankfully, this caused Kakashi’s consistent staring to halt. “I’m hungry.”

After hearing the silver-haired man’s reply, laughter broke from the brunette as he stared amusingly at Kakashi. Sometimes, Kakashi was unaware of his own cuteness. Sighing with a smile, Iruka widened the opening of the door and gestured for the other man to enter. Kakashi complied but remained standing behind the brunette who was closing the door. 

“Kakashi-san, please take a seat,” Iruka offered while making his way behind the counter. The sight of the kitchen area immediately caught Kakashi’s attention. Surely, without a doubt, the area was similar to the one inside the shop. 

“Is there any reason why this,” Kakshi points to the counter, “resembles the one below?” 

This caused Iruka to blink thrice.

“Well, I guess I’ve always loved black tiled counters. It’s attractive,” Iruka answered with a smile but kept his eyes focused on heating the pan. “The interior designer said it matched me.”

While playing with the ingredients prepared on the table, Iruka continued to ask the other man in hope for an interesting conversation which, no doubt, would keep Kakashi entertained. The brunette began to pour an enough amount of pancake mixture into the pan, forming a not so perfect circle but also a delicious looking pancake. 

“Where do you live Kakashi-san?” Iruka glanced at the silver-haired man.

“Let’s just say nowhere,” Kakashi smiled, his eyes curving to an inverted smile.

Upon hearing this, Iruka had his eyes widen in concern and surprise. Concern because he pitied the other man and surprise because he always thought that Kakashi was living a decent, if not a somewhat satisfying life. Even though his fashion sense didn’t seem like it.

“What? Are you serious?” Iruka asked, pausing from his movements.

Kakashi nodded before reminding him about the food.

“Where do you sleep then?” Iruka asked completely worried. The sudden concern had formed a smile on Kakashi’s face. The man in front of him was not only down to earth but also an adorable human being.

“Just kidding. I mentioned that I had nephews remember?” the masked face man answered, laughing at the brunette. Kakashi was just purely amused. Iruka was so forgetful. And the clueless face the brunette had right now was just too adorable. After realizing this, Iruka then turned into a red tomato and turned back to monitor his food.

When the food was finally cooked perfectly, Iruka passed the silver haired man a plate of American breakfast accompanied by a mug of hot coffee. If Iruka used to fuss about Kakashi’s way of eating, this time he voluntarily turned to give the other some privacy.

When Kakashi finally finished, he stood up and thanked Iruka.

“Iruka-san, thank you for the food. I enjoyed it,” he said, his visible eye turning to an inverted smile.

“Umm, yeah sure. Are you leaving already?” Iruka asked as he followed the other to the doorway.

“Yeah, I need to do something at home.”

Iruka pursed his lips in disappointment. As much as he wanted to deny it, he liked Kakashi’s presence even though the other seemed to enjoy watching his embarrassed state.

“Umm. Sure. Take care,” Iruka smiled.

Kakashi smirked. The brunette was so easy to read. He could already see the disappointment shining in the other’s eyes. He wanted to stay for a bit. But he had other things to do. 

So he bid Iruka goodbye and left without sparing him a glance.

Iruka blinked in confusion. He suddenly felt empty. Focusing on the thought, he looked like a confused kid trying to analyze a math problem. He didn’t know why he was feeling unsatisfied. Deep down though, he knew what the reason was. He just didn’t want to believe it. Shaking his head to concentration, he headed back to the kitchen and proceeded on washing the dishes.

He didn’t have to bother himself with the emptiness. Naruto would be coming in a few days and that hole in his heart would finally be filled once again.

 

\-------------------------------------

 

Iruka was surprised. 

It seemed usual for him to be startled every time he took a right turn to the entrance of his coffee shop but unlike the typical, it was quiet and undisturbed. His morning was usually met by a deep voice of a masked face man who always tried and succeeded in surprising him. But this time, he collided with nothing but silence. Turning his head to look on both sides, he wondered where Kakashi was. He used to be early; always harassing the entrance of the cafe. Yet now, he was nowhere to be found. 

Iruka spared the street one last glance before turning to the glass door of the shop and sliding in the key. While he unlocked the glass door, he absent-mindedly kept blinking his brown eyes, suddenly getting more curious about Kakashi's whereabouts. The peculiar man always seemed to look forward to every meal Iruka made, considering his early attendance before. So where was he now? Come to think of it, two days ago, when the brunette took a peek at the entrance of the shop from inside the kitchen, he caught a glimpse of Kakashi holding a blonde, young girl while both left the cafe. He didn't see the girl's face but all he knew was after that little trip the silver haired man had with the young lady, Kakashi came late the next day after. Even though it was none of his business, Iruka still thought that the other man was acting rather strangely. And just then, his thought began to bother him. Who was the blonde girl Kakashi held and why did he come late yesterday? It was a nonsensical thought but it was disturbing the crap out of him.

Closing his eyes and releasing a sigh, he entered the kitchen and immediately proceeded to wash his hand. He walked his way behind the black tiled counter and put on his black apron, tying it around his slender waist. Before beginning his wonderful exhibition on the stove, he first grabbed a wooden chopping board and a knife while the other utensils and ingredients followed. And just after that, his magic show began with no one to witness it. 

As soon as he finished cooking the meal, he served it on a plate then set Kakashi's share aside. It was unknown to him if the other man still planned on eating breakfast. He just hoped that Kakashi would show up early this time. He sighed once again before sitting down on the spinning chair with no one to accompany him. But before he could even take the first bite, a pale young man entered and greeted him s good morning.

“Shino! Good morning!” Iruka smiled and the younger returned it.

Shino observed the kitchen and looked from side to side. “Sensei, where’s Kakashi-san?”

“Oh? That’s what I was thinking. He used to be so early,” Iruka replied, taking in a spoonful of omurice.

Shino was silent. This Kakashi-san was so strange. He was hiding something and Shino was uncomfortable with the idea. They knew nothing about the man and every smile he made sent chills down their spine. Shino always thought that it takes one to know one. He, too, has a lot of mysteries so he knew who kept secrets. And Kakashi was the epitome of a closed book. Shino didn’t know why but he knew to be cautious around the masked face man. 

As time passed by, the staff one by one arrived and began their morning task. Ino proceeded on watering the daisies, Hinata and Shino went and arranged the chairs and tables, and Kiba took the menu board and modified it. It was 5 minutes before opening time when Kakashi finally appeared and entered the café. He had no excuses and Iruka had to talk to him about being early next time which he promised to fulfill. 

And so, Kakashi’s boring job then began. 

As usual, the café had only few customers in the morning. And Kakashi couldn’t help but take out a chair and sit on it while waiting for the ordinary, based on his vocabulary, customers to show up.

Meanwhile, behind the main counter, Shino was staring blankly, as always, at the silver haired man who was guarding the café entrance and sighing in boredom. Kakashi was just so strange. The man had a light personality but deep down Shino knew something dangerous was buried. He had no intentions of discovering it but he couldn’t say that he wasn’t curious as well. Kakashi was interesting for people like him. And that’s just that. He was interesting but he was the kind of person people like Shino knew not to know too much.

His train of thought was interrupted by a sound of a chime and a sight of an approaching customer.

“Hello, good morning,” Shino greeted, his face remaining its usual blank expression.

“Good morning,” the customer replied. “Can I have some java chip frappe and chocolate shortcake?” a young man in suit with big eyeglasses said.

“Yes sir,” Shino answered. His work completely interrupted his thoughts much to Kakashi’s pleasure.

He knew the boy was staring at him. And he knew what the boy was thinking. Shino was curious about his identity. And he wasn’t fond of people wondering about his privacy. But still…he wouldn’t do anything to Shino. It would be such a waste if anything were to happen to the kid. After all, Shino struck Kakashi’s interests.

Kakashi smirked. No, the kid’s too precious. He hummed quietly, the smirk never leaving his face.

 

*

 

Lunch was near and there still weren’t many customers. Iruka just realized. Today was Monday and employees were usually busy. It wasn’t quite a bother to him though. Employees weren’t his only customers.

Iruka made his way to the locker room to check his phone. As usual, his inbox was bombarded with Naruto’s flooding messages.

‘Sensei! I’ll be coming over! Don’t forget!’

‘I miss you sensei!’

‘We’re now at Izumi sensei. We had to stop by because the bus stopped working. We’re staying here for the moment until the bus is fixed.’

Iruka smiled. Naruto always sounded like a little kid. It was adorable. He replied to each of the messages and after he finished, he placed it back in his locker. He sighed in content and turned to leave but after seeing the unclosed locker of Kakashi, he stopped and went to secure it. Before he could close the locker, shock was written all over his face after noticing a trench knife’s handle underneath Kakashi’s jacket. 

Iruka suddenly got nervous. 

Why would Kakashi carry a trench knife? 

“Sensei?” a light voice of Hinata called. “Are you in there?”

Iruka jumped, suddenly anxious. He was nervous as hell. Why would Kakashi have a trench knife? Did he have some enemies who were chasing him? Was he a criminal? Iruka trembled, cold sweat dripping down the side of his face. Was Kakashi a dangerous man?

Iruka didn’t understand anything but still composed himself before exiting the room despite his nervousness.

“Are you okay sensei? You suddenly became pale,” Hinata asked, looking up at her sensei with worried eyes. 

“Don’t worry. I’m fine,” Iruka answered, slowly closing the door. His fingertips were cold and his throat became dry in an instant. No matter how he tried to divert his attention, his mind decided to concentrate on his earlier thought.

 

Who was Kakashi?


End file.
